Rugby

Women’s Six Nations: Ireland name unchanged team to face France

Greg McWilliams’ team looking to bounce back from disappointing Wales defeat

Ireland head coach Greg McWilliams has kept the same team that started against Wales for this weekend’s clash with France. Photograph: Dan Sheridan/Inpho

Thu Mar 31 2022 - 13:27

Ireland head coach Greg McWilliams has named an unchanged team for Saturday's TikTok Women's Six Nations clash against France in Toulouse (kick-off 2.15pm, live on RTÉ 2 and BBC Two Northern Ireland).

Nichola Fryday will captain Ireland at the Stade Ernest-Wallon as they look to bounce back from the disappointment of losing to Wales in the opening round.

Eimear Considine, Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe and Lucy Mulhall are named in the back three, with Eve Higgins and Stacey Flood continuing their midfield partnership.

In the halfbacks, Nicole Cronin starts at outhalf and Aoibheann Reilly wins her second cap at scrumhalf having made her debut against Wales at The RDS.

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The frontrow is retained with Linda Djougang, Neve Jones and Katie O'Dwyer packing down, as Sam Monaghan partners captain Fryday in the engine room. Dorothy Wall, Edel McMahon and Brittany Hogan complete the starting XV for the showdown with Les Bleus.

McWilliams says the team have taken the positives from the Wales game: “We are fully aware of the challenge facing us this weekend, but we’ve had a good week of preparation, taken the positives from our opening game and implementing the learnings on the training pitch.

“It is a huge opportunity for us as a group to go and play one of the best teams of the world and test ourselves at this stage of our journey together.”

Ireland: Eimear Considine; Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe, Eve Higgins, Stacey Flood, Lucy Mulhall; Nicole Cronin, Aoibheann Reilly; Linda Djougang, Neve Jones, Katie O'Dwyer; Nichola Fryday, Sam Monaghan; Dorothy Wall, Edel McMahon, Brittany Hogan.

Replacements: Emma Hooban, Chloe Pearse, Christy Haney, Anna McGann, Hannah O’Connor, Kathryn Dane, Enya Breen, Beibhinn Parsons.

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